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Review: Pure Kentucky XO Bourbon

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With its big, fat bottle and giant picture of Kentucky on the label, Pure Kentucky doesn’t look from a distance like anything you’d slap an “XO” label on, even as a joke.

But this is real, serious bourbon, a whiskey that sweet tooths will love and other bourbon fans can also enjoy.

Aged 10 years and bottled at 107 proof, the immediate hit is sugar and honey — and even more so if you add a touch of water. Things get more complicated as you linger over the glass, with woodsy, cedar/evergreen notes coming out and some bitterness developing in the finish. That’s not a heavy critique, but those expecting a sugar bomb will come away surprised… possibly pleasantly, possibly not.

Interesting to try as a step away from the beaten path. From the same producers as Rowan’s Creek.

3 Comments

Interesting review. I’ve never tried this one. One quibble with the word “producer” as KBD, despite it’s name, is a respected independent bottler which doesn’t distill but bottles other company’s distillates.

Also, throwing an XO on Bourbon is sort of silly and pretentious as the term has no meaning in the whiskey context.

By the way, I’ve been reading your blog for a while, and your reviews are very good quality. Keep up the good work!